"Lost it? I don't understand what that is supposed to mean? " Lin was going into a little frenzy.
" I remember, I had first seen it with my brother Jin. He would go about proudly flaunting it.
When we would try grabbing it or pulling it, he would get so angry. He had it wherever he went. "
The wolf king recounted. " After he was cursed and banished, our kingdom was in shatters. My was unable to carry on the task of kingship due to his emotional condition. There was war . There were even fighting inside our palace. Every rat wanted its share when the was dying. I still remember when your father had sent his support in the form of our proposal, " The wolf king turned to face his queen. "Though it was a marriage of , it was my only weapon against the rebels. I would be forever indebted to your for that. "
" It was for our entire wolf nation. For our kind. My father didn't do you any favor. He just chose best side in the battle. " The queen politely intervened.
"However, even after taking over as the king, there were many issues that were very hard for to tackle. My father had already passed away and I didn't know who else I should have . The most important thing was knowing the location of our Spirit conjurer. It was our valuable and most guarded family heirloom. Only one living member of the Royal family down the knowledge. As you all must already know, our wolf tribe is protected by many
Spirit Creatures. They maintain the balance in the tribe and also protect . All kings have always access to the Conjurer, except me. It was becoming very very difficult on my part. " The took a pause.
"So to find the location of the Conjurer, there was only one way left. I had to somehow contact brother. Which in itself was another impossible feat. It was then that I had called your father the high shaman, " The king again turned to his wife," to discuss. At first they too dismissed notion. But after I explained carefully what was at stake, the high shaman came up with a . Though he repeatedly warned me of its possible dangers. "
" What was it? " Roe asked eagerly, unable to take any more suspense.
"The high shaman told me that the mer-witches were the only living beings who could help me the quest. " the king announced.
" The Mer-witches of the South? " " They are vicious. " " Oh! My goodness. That's suicide. "
There was a combination of murmurs across the room. Everybody had their own opinion.
When suddenly Lin burst from nowhere, " I understand all your adventures, but what about Mia.
While we sit and listen to stories, who knows what that beast is doing with her. " Lin banged on table as it cracked in two.
"Lin, calm down. She is my daughter too. The only reason I am sharing this right now is for us to able to track that thing. You need to know where it came from and where it might have gone.
" He said pointing to the drawing of the pendant.
"Lin calm down. We are all in this together. Mia will be alright. She had to. " Xie held Lin's as Boshu too came limping beside him.
" I shouldn't have left her outside the boundary. I shouldn't have. " Lin was still too trapped in his to pay proper attention to what the others were saying.
" The next part of the story involves me going to the mer-witches and trading my ancestral for a quick visit with my brother. The place that Jin was in could only be accessed by the waters. And those waters were only navigable by the mer-folks. " The king said.
" Like the Tree of knowledge." Remarked Roe out of nowhere, " it was only navigable by that weird fish like creature. "
Everybody in the room turned in her direction.
" Fish like creatures? A mer-witch you mean? " Her father asked.
" No. No. Not a female. It definitely looked like a boy. " observed Boshu.
" There is no male left amongst the mer-people. Couldn't have been a boy. " The queen said.
" And Mia too came from the waters, didn't she? " Xie put in.
"She came from the waters? What do you mean? " The king asked as if a little worried at the .
" Well, unlike us, we had to cross many lands and hurdles to reach the Land of the lakes. But
Mia just popped out of the waters there. " Xie explained.
" What are you even talking about? It's impossible for anyone except for the mer-folk to treat waters. "The king asked, puzzled.
" She definitely came from the waters. We all saw it. Didn't she, Lin? " Boshu looked at Lin.
Lin nodded in agreement. " I too thought it was very weird but we already were in pretty strange so I hadn't given it much thought. Also the creature refused to take anybody else than Mia to the Tree of Knowledge.I was pretty opposed to the idea but we had no choice.
We all know how the myths go around the Tree. " Lin gave his view.
The wolf king however was having some thoughts running in his head. He rushed out of the as the queen followed. The others were about to follow in their suit but just then Nanako back to her senses.
" Lin, did you find the pendant? " was the first thing she asked after opening her eyes.
"Nana, the wolf king said he lost it. We are trying to figure out where he might have lost it, " Lin explaining.
" Not possible. The pendant is still with a wolf and that too from the Royal Family. " Nana barked as everyone looked at each other with surprise.
*******
Twisted desires of fate
The beast ran its fingers along Mia's tangled hair. It's razor sharp nails leaving droplets of blood every turn it took. It's face came very close to Mia's and it reeked of a hideous smell. Mia her head with a swift movement from repulsion. As she did so,she felt an immense sharp of pain where her head was already hurting. The filthy hands of the creature were pulling her tangled hair strands, causing them to snap and break one by one.
The creature then kicked its leg backwards in a swift motion. But it made Mia's core tighten with . She had thought for sure that it was aimed at her womb, her child. But it landed on her legs. The kick made the tendons on Mia's legs burst in pain as the trap dug a final blow snapping in half. Yes, her legs were finally free. But they were in no shape to be moved.
The blood and lymph oozed from the open wound. The beast bent over her injured leg and them, while it sat itself in the middle. It gave Mia such a suggestive look that her heart beating. What was the creature about to do with her? She couldn't possibly let herself so exploited. She needed to fight back.
The creature took out its tongue and licked the wounds as if it was enjoying the taste of the . Its long tongue flickered through every crevice of it. Mia could see her chest go up and heavily as she breathed. Her hands grabbing onto the swampy walls trying to pull herself .
The creature looked up at Mia's effort and in the flickers of a moment reached Mia's upper body pulled open her outer garment. Mia rolled over to the other end of the walls as her legs now free. She soiled herself at the farthest corner, crouched on a puddle of water. She like an animal about to be slaughtered.
The creature made constant grunting noise as it moved around like a bull. It crawled at Mia on fours faster than the blink of an eye. It buried itself in Mia's now bare neck and made a deep sound. It traced Mia's skin with its wet nostril, breathing heavily all over her. Every on Mia's body was standing high with goosebumps. Her tongue dried up. And the on her chest got heavier.
" What, what do you want, want? " Mia stammered with much difficulty.
The beast ignored her and moved its face lower down Mia's body.
" Why do you look like my father. " Mia was literally trembling at this point, " Who are you? What you? " She uttered with much difficulty.
The creature temporarily looked up as if trying to comprehend Mia's words. It stared at Mia with -like curiosity in its eyes. Only a few glances up and down, however, those iris refilled with and a predator like crazy over took the dilation. It grabbed Mia by her inner layer of clothing dragged across the floor. Mia's right shoulder, hand, hips, high and leg crashed and . She was like a lifeless doll in the merciless hands of her vicious captor.
The swampy ground gave way to a well decorated wall. Mia immediately lifted her head to the place she was being shifted to. It was a dimly lit arena, more like a study. There were candles flickering here and there. The sight of the place made Mia forget her for a moment. She thought she had seen it, or maybe a vision of it somewhere. It had calligraphy all across its ceilings and walls.
The creature tossed Mia up like a rag doll and threw her on what seemed like an altar. No it was like a bench or maybe even a bed. The beast temporarily left Mia and went towards what like a heap of books. It gave Mia the perfect opportunity to look around. The first thing came to her notice was the fact that though the candles were flickering, there was no wind.
There was a shattered chain lying at a corner of the place.
Before Mia could notice anything further the creature sprang in her direction and held her head by her hair.
" Look. Look carefully. What does it say? " He pointed towards something on the floor.
"I, I can't see. " Mia struggled to keep her head straight.
"Look" The creature dragged her by the hair and forced her face down on the ground. Mia was it would smash but it stopped right before touching the surface.
There on the ground lay some wooden pieces. Like parts of a jigsaw. Mia touched it with her and immediately went back as it became red hot. There slowly appeared on the blank a writing. Mia tilted her head trying to spell it, but when she did, she just looked back at creature for explanation. She couldn't understand anything. It was her name that appeared .
But why did it appear there and what did it even mean, was all beyond Mia's understanding.
"I don't understand, " She finally said as the creature kept staring at her with a wild sense of in its eyes and a creepy smile on its face.
Mia's remark made it go crazy with rage. Instead of answering it threw Mia on the altar where it previously put her. It leaped on her and pinned her down as it pushed its lower body against . Mia's body shuddered at the humiliation and violation. She tried pushing it away with might be felt in her fragile body. She could feel warm tears wetting her cheeks mixed blood and puss from all the injuries she had suffered. Mia gave a final push in her attempt dislodge her predator but it pinned her hands against the walls instead. As Mia screamed in , it smiled with pleasure digging deeper on her skin. It tore off Mia's lower garment with a lash. Mia screamed louder and banged her own head against the solid surface. The mourned with satisfaction. It reached with its other hand towards Mia's only piece of , creating a barrier between herself and the beast. As it placed its hands on her collar to rip piece apart, a severe bright light from Mia's chest blinded everything around. A severe of dazzling bleach that washed across the darkness and grime.